Milky Clouds
by Principessa Di Morte
Summary: A decision made in the heat of the moment can change the lives of everyone around... *deathfic*


**A/N: Ah, here 'tis. My first deathfic in the White Collar universe. Btw, for fans of 'Empty Decisions', I have not stopped that story, working on ch. 9 probably as we 'speak'. This was just a spur of the moment thing that came to me. You know how it works. I don't know exactly how sad this is to other people, so I can't give a hankie warning or anything, but it IS a deathfic. So… that being said, if you're still interested, read on….**

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The man sees the movement of the hand before the gun is even in sight. Throughout the next seconds that feel like years, a seemingly endless string of thoughts run through his ever-active mind. Almost detached, they examine the worth of a life, of his next to his partner's. They ponder over whether he could live with himself if he doesn't make the move that could change both men's fates forevermore. Yes, they definitely notice that their partner does not see the weapon. And, finally, they decide.

A lunge to the side is the movement that changes the path of two lives, that ends one and lets the other continue—be it mercifully or otherwise. A lunge to the left, to be exact. That simple move is one that will change entire timelines, that will bring grief and prosperity. The one that will bring most souls to their knees and a select few to parties.

The pavement is cold, hard. At first the pain doesn't register—the body's natural reaction so the host can move away from danger… also partly because of shock. But when it does, it is overwhelming. The sounds of a short scuffle don't quite reach the bloodied man lying on the ground. And then, there is a pair of knees in his line of vision. They are red. He idly wonders what kind of person would have red knees. For some reason, the thought makes him laugh.

The man leaning over them looks agonized, and the one on the ground briefly worries that they might be hurt. They try to ask, but nothing much comes out. Something warm, actually. Somehow it doesn't feel right. They try to move, but upon attempting the slightest twist, a flare of excruciating pain flares along their whole side. So. Moving's out of the question. It seems like…. Like the person above them is trying to get them to do something, but the man lying on the wet cement—since when was it raining?—doesn't understand what.

He does feel as though he needs to say something, though. Something important. But he can't quite figure it out. Everything's a funny cloudy color…. Like watered-down milk. He doesn't know why that pops into his mind. He hates milk.

The man over him looks angry now, though the man on the floor can't imagine why. Everything seems quite dandy to him… the man above him shakes his shoulders, and suddenly it isn't so dandy anymore. The agony shreds through him again, and a strange noise echoes throughout the space they're in. It takes the man a moment to realize it came from him.

There's lights now, and lots of noise, though it sounds far away, muffled, as thought there's cotton over his ears. A thought pops into the man's head now, clear as day, sharper than anything else in his fading, muddled mind at the moment. He has to do something, his only goal now.

The man over him is moving away… no, being pulled. He is yelling, though the bleeding man still really doesn't know what. He knows what he has to do, though, and with the last vestiges of strength in his broken body, he pushes two words out, before succumbing to the approaching night.

Two words, strong and sharp, the last whispers to ever be uttered from those pale lips. Two words forever etched in a man's heart, two words he'll carry with him for the rest of his life. Two words.

"Goodbye, Peter."

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**A/N: Well, that came out of nowhere. I've been listening to too much sad music. :D But I knew I had to do a deathfic in this fandom eventually anyway. To be honest, I could not decide which guy to kill off until near the end. Even now, I'm considering writing another in which the killing is of the opposite partner… Anyway. Hope it wasn't too horrible. It's like past midnight and I've been at a concert so sorry if it doesn't make any sense. Tell me what you thought :) **


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